SVR4: Allowing users to provide preferences for the display of conforming alternate versions

Applicability

Description

The objective of this technique is to provide a mechanism for users to select a preference for an alternate conforming version of a Web page.

Providing preferences to allow users to view conforming alternate versions can be accomplished in several ways. One common method is to provide a link which triggers a server-side process that sets a session or persistent cookie that the Web server uses to modify the page or redirect the user to the alternate version. Other methods include providing user-specific choices that are stored as part of the user's login information for a system where users sign in to access a Web page or service.

Users requiring an alternate version will need the mechanism provided in the non-conforming page to be accessible in order to find and use it. The mechanism itself should conform to the accessibility level being claimed.

Examples

Example 1: Setting a session or persistent cookie to store a user preference

A Web site offers a link to a "preferences" page on pages within the site. On this page, there is an option to view an alternate version of the site. There may be various aspects of the page that are affected, or the user may be opting to view an entirely alternate version of the site. The preference may be to display a version of the site where video included on the site displays captioning, or it may be offered because the primary site contains accessibility conformance issues that are addressed only via the alternative.

A Web page author may choose to handle this preference via a cookie, which may be handled via a server-side scripting language such as PHP.